2018 Hero World Challenge

Tony Finau has come so close to winning so many times this year. Is the Hero World Challenge this week the time it finally happens for him? Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports

The Tiger Woods-hosted Hero World Challenge takes place this week in The Bahamas at breathtaking Albany.

The field consists of just 18 world-class players and it’s a terrific chance for each and every one of them to end the 2018 calendar year with a bang, enjoy the holidays and snag some all-important momentum heading into 2019… along with some world-ranking points.

Woods, currently No. 13, for instance, could move as high as sixth in the world this week with a victory. He hasn’t been ranked that high in 4 ½ years. That’s all the more impressive when you consider that Woods was ranked 1,199th in the world when he teed it up in the 2017 Hero World Challenge.

Before the start of the tournament, we reached out to three caddies who are on the ground at Albany to find out which players we should be keeping a close eye on this week.

Each of the caddies made two picks, anonymously. Here are the guys they like with the reasons why…

Caddie 1

Tony Finau, “He hits the ball so long and just has a solid all-around game. He’s been knocking on the door so much this year and I think this is the week he gets it done.”

Hideki Matsuyama, “Ice water in his veins and a rock-solid game. He also won this event in 2017.”

Caddie 2

Bryson DeChambeau, “Incredible year for Bryson with four victories in 2018, including two Playoffs events, and already a victory in the new season in Vegas. He’s locked in.”

Tony Finau, “He’s been knocking on the door long enough. Time to destroy the field.”

Caddie 3

Justin Rose, “I heard from another caddie, who heard from a caddie who knows Rose’s caddie, that he in fact ‘has’ entered. That gives him an excellent chance of actually playing this week. And if that happens… anything is possible.”